Have a personal or library account? Click to login

Emergency Remote Teaching Experiences of Teachers during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Turkey

Open Access
|Feb 2025

Figures & Tables

The demographic information of the participants

Variables N(%)
GenderMale17344.9
Female21255.1
Age (years)20–2582.1
26–3511028.6
36–4516342.3
46–558622.3
56–65184.7
StagePreschool—Elementary school7720
Middle school25466
High school5414
Years of experience1–5318.1
6–107720
11–158522.1
16–208421.8
Over 20 years10828.1
Educational backgroundUndergraduate32885.2
Postgraduate5714.8

Problems that teachers experienced in the ERT process

ThemeSub-themeCodef
TechnologyAccessInternet, connection problems108
Not having devices such as computers, tablets, smartphones, students' lack of internet connection, inequality of opportunity87
SystemProblems about logging into EBA, dropping from EBA Live Application, freezing, EBA web traffic issues70
Technical problems, audio-visual problems18
EBA's content lack2
CompetenceInexperience, insufficient use of technology, lack of computer skills of students and parents19
The difficulty of instruction by writing on the screen, difficult to explain the subjects that need to be shown and practiced7
Not being able to prepare or use digital course materials4
PedagogyInteractionCommunication problems, inability to reach parents and students16
Insufficient interaction/insufficient feedback9
Stress due to no eye contact, disabled cameras8
Inability to understand whether the student has understood or not7
The lack of sincerity, love and interest, insufficient emotional transmission, inability to create a normal classroom environment, lack efficient as face-to-face training6
MotivationLow student participation70
Indifference, unwillingness, unseriousness of parents and students29
Low motivation3
Low readiness2
Students get bored3
Distraction, trouble focussing2
Class managementInability to control the system and students, classroom management problems5
Difficulty checking homework, homework not done by students, no attendance control and grading in the process5
Time management in virtual classes, the lesson preparation that takes a lot of time5
Tracking student progress3
Unsuitable home environment, responsibilities at home3

Advantages of ERT according to teachers

ThemeCodef
FlexibilityGiving lessons at home in a comfortable environment56
Being independent of time and place46
EfficiencySaving on time (not spending time on transportation), efficiency of time54
Economic saving10
The participation of only willing, responsible students increases the efficiency of the lesson.10
More effective than face-to-face training3
Necessity (Obligation)Can be used when face-to-face training is not possible,32
Innovation (Technological)Ability to share all kinds of documents and materials practically and access them easily29
Ensuring effective use of technology in teaching and using new learning environments15
Ability to reach large masses at the same time5
OpportunitiesEasy classroom management, less or no disciplinary problems compared to face-to-face training25
Developing individual learning, supporting a sense of responsibility and increasing self-control13
Involving parents in the process7
Providing a new, different experience5
Ensuring understanding of the value of face-to-face education (school and teacher)2

Suggestions of teachers for more efficient ERT process

ThemeSub-themeCodef
TechnologyAccessDevices such as computers, tablets and free internet connection should be provided for students' access88
Participation must be mandatory; attendance must be taken76
Equality of opportunity should be ensured41
It should be a support-advisory unit for technical problems3
SystemSystem-technical problems should be eliminated, EBA infrastructure should be strengthened98
Content should be enriched; more content should be added31
EBA logging hours and live class time should not be restricted8
Schools should plan for live lessons in advance6
Live lessons should be recorded2
CompetenceIn-service training should be provided to teachers on subjects such as the distance education process, the use of platforms that can be used in this process and content and assessment tools creation34
Parents should be informed about the distance education and their support and control for students should be provided23
Students should be informed about the distance education and their roles16
PedagogyInteractionStudents cameras should be open in live lesson3
The use of Web 2.0 tools should be expanded2
MotivationStudents' motivation and readiness should be increased14
Live classes should not be too early2
Classroom managementAssessment and evaluation of the lessons should be done in general after TV lessons, the process should be supported with homework and the homework should be graded16
Suitable learning environments should be provided in homes4
Different instructional methods, techniques and technologies should be used3

The methods teachers used for solving the problems in ERT

ThemeSub-themeCodef
TechnologyAccessI switched from the current device to another device (PC-Phone-Tablet)11
I bought an additional internet data package11
I logged in at a late hour7
I provided opportunities for students who have no internet or devices5
I have bought a new device (Smartphone, PC, tablet)5
I called the Internet Service Provider or GSM Customer Service4
I switched to mobile internet connection2
SystemI quit the system and re-entered28
I restarted the computer16
I uninstalled the EBA Live Lessons application and re-installed12
I updated the application11
I prepared content such as video, topic summary and tests for no-content subjects in the system9
I solved it through the trial-and-error method8
I deactivated the anti-virus software3
I changed the web browser2
I waited2
CompetenceI received support from the ICT teacher and other experienced teachers in our school41
I researched on the Internet21
PedagogyInteractionI contacted the parents39
I informed students and shared materials from WhatsApp groups and EBA32
I asked the subjects they didn't understand1
I multiplied the examples1
I informed students by SMS2
I did question-answer activities and dialogues to help students express themselves15
MotivationI called the students on the phone35
I prepared different and interesting activities, contents such as songs, stories, images and videos to involve the students in the process27
I guided the students, increased their motivation6
I used different instructional methods and techniques4
I kept the lessons short, increased the breaks and explained only the important subjects in live lessons3
Class managementI kept my materials ready before starting the live classes to use time efficiently.4
I cleared the deck3
I gave homework to increase students' responsibility3
I turned the microphones off to block the background noise2

Disadvantages of ERT according to teachers

ThemeSub-themeCodef
TechnologyAccessStudents cannot have technological equipment due to financial impossibilities and therefore cannot access education, inequality of opportunity63
Low student participation in live lessons59
SystemTechnical problems, connection errors, system problems and waste of time due to these32
PedagogyInteractionCommunication and interaction is difficult or limited54
Not getting instant feedback from the student and not knowing whether the student can understand the subject or not48
Not being able to make eye contact, gesture and facial expression, being unable to see students due to cameras not turning on30
Less sociability and social interaction14
Lack of emotional, closeness and sincerity, it is soulless, boring10
Inability to communicate effectively, communication problems6
There is teaching but not education1
MotivationLow motivation, apathy, attention deficit, distraction42
It is difficult for students to focus on the lesson at home9
Students' indifference, disregard, irresponsibility8
The students are not active7
It causes technology addiction6
Difficulty in keeping the attention alive and getting the students' attention4
Unwilling students completely move away from education3
Class managementInability to create properly the classroom environment, lack of emotion, lack of emotional transmission and warmth38
Monitoring student, control and domination is difficult22
Assessment and evaluation is difficult20
Not efficient as face-to-face education16
Lack of learning by doing, learning by doing, being difficult to teach practical lessons, not being able to do activities such as experiments, making group work is difficult13
Teaching for some branches (such as mathematics) is difficult8
Dealing with students is individually difficult4
Attendance control and homework tracking is difficult4
Lesson preparation takes time2
Learning remains at the level of knowledge1
Language: English
Page range: 12 - 31
Published on: Feb 5, 2025
Published by: Sciendo
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 2 times per year

© 2025 Ahmet Polat, Mehmet Barış Horzum, published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.